PFW: the Maximalist Dichotomy Dominates the Miu Miu Podium

The latest Miu Miu shows have certainly been those that have dictated the strongest fashion trends — from the micro-miniskirt to the geek-chic librarian look, including the cool kid aesthetic of the 2000s. It is with great interest that all eyes were on the fall-winter 2024-25 collection, to finally discover what will be the dominant wardrobe of tomorrow. As she knows how to do so well, Miuccia Prada has once again managed to surprise us in an area where we didn't expect her. Far from the silhouettes of prepubescent It-Girl, the artistic director gives us a collection of character, with maximalist accents, between assumed elegance, retro touches and a touch of quirkiness. “A clothing vocabulary, from childhood to adulthood,” we can read in the designer’s notes. "I say to myself every morning: 'I have to decide whether I am a 15-year-old girl or a woman close to death'." The silhouettes reflect this dichotomy with distinct propositions - which can coexist within the same outfit, just as we each hold simultaneous memories of our own experience -, as well as a diverse casting - with models of different origins and different ages, including Ethel Cain, Amelia Gray, Little Simz and Kristin Scott Thomas .

We find evocations of childhood, expressed by deliberately reduced proportions, cut sleeves, rounded toe shoes, clothing archetypes which directly recall those worn in youth. Conversely, adulthood is expressed through recognized signifiers of propriety and chic - gloves and handbags, brooches, suit, little black dress, as well as through contrary languages ​​- image of the age-related rebellion and impulsivity — among pajamas and outerwear, proper and improper, right and wrong. Conversely, adulthood is expressed through clothing items recognized as decorous and chic—gloves and handbags, brooches, a suit, or the more conventional little black dress. Gone are the micro-miniskirts of past years, make way for the large skirt with pockets that goes down to the knee, demure as it should be. The Miu Miu woman, however, is not shy and dares to use prints and colors: bright oranges are combined with cobalt blues, mint greens with mustard yellows, bottle greens – sometimes neon – with chocolate browns. She chooses her clothes as mnemonic devices, a link between her past and a projection of her future. But one thing is certain: this new Miu Miu woman dresses for her, and no one else.

Credits: Getty Images